Paul Gelegotis Bridge

The Paul Gelegotis Bridge, also known as the Stono Bridge, is located in Charleston, South Carolina, United States; it connects James Island and Johns Island on SC 700 (Maybank Highway). This bridge opened in late 2003, on the historically significant site of a series of former Stono Bridges.HistoryThe site of the current bridge is among several sites of a slave rebellion called the Stono Rebellion, one of the earliest known organized acts against slavery in the Americas. On September 9, 1739, twenty black slaves raided a store near the bridge; in the process they killed two storekeepers and took guns and gunpowder.The bridge survived an attempt by Union forces to burn it during the American Civil War. Union troops floated burning rafts down to the Stono Bridge, hoping the wooden structure would catch fire and burn. However, their efforts were thwarted by a Lieutenant Smith, who along with members of a naval battalion, brought the rafts to shore.There have been several bridges in this location; the last variation was a two lane bridge 1416ft-long, which was built in 1928, and later refurbished in 1950. This swing-span drawbridge used a 156ft-long steel-truss which left little room for even small vessels to pass beneath unless it was open.The Paul Gelegotis Bridge (new bridge)The Gelegotis Bridge is a four-lane 7300ft-long structure, which began operation in 2003. The new elevated design allows auto traffic to move faster, while vessels pass under a 65ft clearance and through 90ft of horizontal clearance between the bridge supports.